random thoughts (a bit late I know)

August 2, 2014
I just realized…. I only have three weeks left. Wow, this feels like it has been such a short contract, 3 months, but I guess after the total length of time I was on the Nieuw A, everything is going to seem short. And the realization that I only have a short time left (3 times in each port!), made me think about all the plans I had at the start of this contract, and expectations. Let’s just say this contract is nothing like I thought or planned it to be. Pensive day. That long long list of excursions I want to do might just have to keep until next time though (except maybe a few…), because………. (drumroll)……………. my friend Marti is on board working with me! She worked at Bonclarken with me a few summers and attends Erskine.

So, right now it’s like three aspects of my life are merging! It’s a bit confusing because there’s so much she needs to learn about the job and living on a ship, but then I want to catch up with her about the goings-on at Erskine, and reminisce about camp. It’s also a completely different kind of merging from when my family has come onboard as guests. As guest, I have to have special permission to hang out with them, and eat meals with them, and I also have my usual job and the stresses involved there to deal with, and I still want some time to hang out with my crew friends. I’ve mentioned before, it’s wonderful having family on board, but exhausting. But Marti is working as youth staff, and she’s my roommate! Eating together is not a problem, since we’re nearly on the same schedule (I’m on teens, and she’s with the kids, but I always make an effort to eat early for lunch and dinner so that I can see people anyway). She’s getting a taste of my current life, which is thoroughly amazing. I’ll admit, sometimes when I get back home, it’s somewhat difficult to relate to my old friends. Either they listen with disinterest when I want to tell about my adventures and don’t ask questions, which kills my desire to tell them anything else, or they make no time to talk to me during the short amount of time I’m on vacation. It just gets harder for me to try every time. Of course, that’s not everybody, but I am glad that Marti will understand some of my life nowadays, and we can talk about it.